Berachot 54: Blessings Over Events and Experiences

Today's daf begins Perek VIII.  It begins with a Mishna that includes all of our other Mishnayot and blessings and halachot that are not time bound.  Instead they are based on events and experiences.  These include blessings beginning with "Blessed" and ending with the notes below.

• where miracles happened in Israel (same)
• places where idolatry has been eradicated (same)
• thunder, winds and lightening... Whose strength and power fill the world
• special mountains, hills, seas, rivers, deserts: ... Author of creation
• rain and good tidings: ...Who is good and Who does good
• bad tidings: ... the true judge
• building a new house or bought new vessels: Who has given us life, sustained us and brought us to this time
• one who cries out over something that already happened is a vain prayer, there is no blessing for it is a vain prayer (ex. wishing one had had a male child)
• entering a large city: ... enter in peace; ... leave in peace
• thanks for the past and cries out in prayer for the future

A general principle: One is obligated to recite a blessing for the bad just as one recites a blessing for the good, as proven by Deuteronomy (6:5): And you shall love the Lord your G-d with all your heart, all your soul, all your might".  Heart refers to good and evil inclinations.  Soul revers to whether or not G-d takes one's soul.  Might means with all of our money, or with all measures that G-d has given us.

Some Temple related halachot, laws:

• we cannot act irreverently by the eastern gate of the Temple Mount which is across from the Holy of Holies
• We may not enter the Temple Mount with a staff, shoes, money belt or dust on our feet
• We cannot use the Temple as a shortcut or as an a fortiori inference, or spit on the Temple Mount
• at the end of all blessings in the Temple one says "Blessed are You, Lord G-d of Israel until ha'olam, everlasting or the world.  When the Sadducees declared that there was no World to Come, the Sages rephrased their prayer to say "from ha'olam to ha'olam".  Although I do not believe in a World-to-Come, I had never heard this reasoning behind these words.

A few more instructions:

• Greetings should mention the name of G-d
• "We may not despise our mothers when they are old" means that we should continue to uphold our customs
• "It is time to work for the Lord; they have made void Your Torah" means that we should sometimes go against biblical precepts to perform G-d's will, including greeting another person
• "Make void Your Torah" means that we might need to go against biblical precepts for the sake of upholding Torah

The Gemara discusses some of the miracles that have been done for us.  One of those is crossing the streams of Arnon.  We are told a story about that place, and we are told that it was the site of the hailstones of Elgavish where we are to bless that place.  We are also reminded of Lot and his wife.  We recite a blessing on the tragedy of her death:  Blessed... the true Judge.  Interestingly, over Lot we say "Blessed... Who remembers the righteous".   It is hard to think of Lot as righteous knowing about his relationship with his daughters.

Our Gemara then offers several proof texts behind the required blessings over seafarers, those who walk in the desert, one who was ill and recovered,  and one who was incarcerated in prison.  The rabbis decide which prayers to recite.  Rav Yehuda notes that three require protection from harm: a sick person, a bridegroom and a bride.  In a baraita, it is said that the three are a sick person, a woman in childbirth, a bridegroom and a pride.  Others include a mourner.  Even others include Torah scholars at night.  We are not to prolong our prayers, our mealtimes, or our time in bathrooms.